4,518 more Maharashtra villages drought-hit, 70 per cent in Vidarbha

NAGPUR: State government on Thursday declared drought-like situation in 4,518 villages across the state where less than 75% of the average rainfall was received and crop estimates or anewari is less than 50%.
These villages will be apart from 151 tehsils and 318 revenue circles where the government has already declared drought-like situation. Out of these 4,518 villages, 3,150 are from Vidarbha which hints that the region is staring at severe drought situation this year.
These villages will get immediate relief measures like exemption from paying land revenue, restructuring of farm loans, stay on recovery of farm loans etc. Farmers will get 33.5% concession in electricity bills for agriculture pumps and supply will not be disconnected over non-payment of bills. School and college students in these villages will get waiver of exam fees. Those who have already paid the fees will get refund.
Highest 751 villages are from Yavatmal district, followed by 731 from Amravati. In Nagpur division, 1,376 villages have been included in the drought-like situation list.
State had earlier announced drought-like situation in 151 tehsils and 318 revenue circles. Later, 931 more villages with crop estimate of less than 50% were included in this list. With the recent addition, the number of villages hit by drought has reached 21,000 in the state.
Meanwhile, on February 21 and 22, thundershowers and hailstorms were recorded at some locations in Vidarbha. Untimely rainfall was recorded in parts of Buldhana, Amravati and Washim districts. The state has directed respective district administrations to assess the crop loss.
“District collectors will be the authorities to provide relief measures to the residents of these villages. Also, villages where the annual rainfall of the season has been recorded less than 750mm or less than 75% of the annual average rainfall of the tehsil have been included in this list,” said the government resolution issued on February 21.